In My Opinion: Beaches-East York MPP McMahon vows to fight expansion of Billy Bishop Airport

By MARY-MARGARET McMAHON

MPP, BEACHES-EAST YORK

The endless delights of our Toronto waterfront are on full display this summer, but the Doug Ford government remains resolved to threaten the health and accessibility of the water, the land, and the life that depends on it. All of this for an idea with no environmental impact assessment, no health study, no details, and no business case!

As soon as Bill 110, Building Billy Bishop Airport Act, 2026 was introduced this spring at Queen’s Park, I was brought back to my time at Toronto Council in 2013 when this expansion proposal was tabled and rejected by members of council, the federal government, and thousands of Toronto residents!

Constituents from all around the city have echoed this same sentiment, the waterfront is an oasis in the city, and they are against a Billy Bishop Airport expansion.

Do I care deeply about Toronto’s waterfront? I sure do and will be fighting hard to protect it and Little Norway Park, the Island, and Bathurst Quay.

Little Norway Park is a wonderful gem of greenspace equipped with amenities for baseball, soccer, and swimming. It is also a historical landmark in the heart of the city. The park marks the Royal Norwegian Air Training Base where pilots would train to then join the Allied efforts to defeat Nazi Germany in the Second World War. It commemorates the thousands of heroic people who contributed to and sacrificed their lives in the fight against Nazi Germany. They fought for our freedom. And it is the spot where Norwegians continue to gather for cultural events to this day.

If you heard me speak at Queen’s Park back on May 4, you heard Premier Ford in response to my line of questions, on record, promising that his government will not touch Little Norway Park in their Toronto waterfront land grab—I’ll be holding them to that.

Those in favour of the Billy Bishop expansion claim that it will be a major economic driver, bringing in $8.5 billion. This figure is almost half of what Pearson grosses at $19.6 billion and that is with a share of 95 per cent of air travel.

How will Billy Bishop, a fraction of the size and offering a fraction of the flights, even with an expansion, produce this much?

The expansion is far beyond what is presented. Billy Bishop Airport would demand 900 metres of new landmass – a 600-metre runway and 150-metre buffer zone on each end. Unfortunately, this extra 900m does not even scratch the surface of waterfront disruption.

The Billy Bishop Airport expansion would need hundreds of more metres of buoys and guide lights extending into the water, repair hangars, marine exclusionary zones, and new customs facilities if flight paths are added.

Time and time again studies show that airport cities experience poor air quality, and this can lead to adverse health effects like premature death, pre-term birth, decreased lung function, cancers, and more. While we presently experience the devastating effects of wildfires, we simply cannot afford to compromise our air quality any further.

If this government was serious about healthcare, then they would focus more of their energy on securing full-time physicians for ridings around Ontario that are struggling. The Member for Kiiwetenoong pointed out that there are 27 gravel airstrips that require and deserve investment, time, and attention to truly connect Ontario. These runways need to be extended to permit safe landing and takeoff, improved runway lighting and approach guidance, de-icing servicing, proper drainage infrastructure, and more.

This begs the question, if the destination or departure airports lack funding and resources for safe and efficient takeoff and landing; if a plane cannot leave the airport due to poor weather conditions and lack adequate navigational aids, and they cannot land safely, how is a Billy Bishop Airport expansion that will leech billions of dollars that could be going into the airports that really need it, going to assist these underserved communities?

We are left scratching our heads, signing petitions, mounting No Jets TO signs, and desperately hoping for better decisions.